A recently published government analysis demonstrates an increase in suicide among young male and female veterans, WXIA TV reported.
Dr. Jan Kemp, who heads the Department of Veterans Affairs' suicide prevention efforts, said the rates are extremely concerning -- especially for male veterans in their early 20s.
"The rates ... are honestly alarming. This group of young veterans appears to be in some trouble," Kemp said.
In the analysis, the VA said the suicide rate for young male veterans, aged 18 to 29, increased 44 percent from 2009 to 2011. During the same time, the suicide rate for young female veterans increased 11 percent.
However, they said there was "no clear change" in overall suicide rates in veterans using VA health facilities.
Kemp added that troops who ended up committing suicide were not receiving the help they needed.
"They're young. They've just gotten out of the service. They're more concentrated on going home, getting jobs, for the most part. They're not coming in for mental health care," Kemp said, adding that most of them only received help for other health problems.
Kemp also mentioned that suicide rates of female veterans are now higher than those of female non-veterans -- in contrast to male veterans and male non-veterans.
USA TODAY reported the Army has struggled the most with suicide rates among active-duty troops during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Robert Bossarte, a VA epidemiologist, said he saw a similar pattern in Vietnam veterans.
"There were were several studies after Vietnam that showed increases in suicide and other forms of injury/mortality for about the first five years following return from service," Bossarte said. "Those rates (eventually) came down to be about the same as the rest of the population."
